


Ice

by Thebloomaster



Series: #blessed [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Caretaking, Gen, Ice Skating, M/M, Sick Character, Sickfic, Sneezing, sick!yuugi, yuugi has a sneeze kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 20:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30044181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thebloomaster/pseuds/Thebloomaster
Summary: Yuugi and Atem meet up with their friends to go ice skating. Yuugi is sick and doesn't want to admit it. Atem just wants to take care of him.(Rating might go up~)
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Puzzleshipping - Relationship, blindshipping - Relationship
Series: #blessed [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2093028
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	Ice

Atem studies himself in the mirror as he tries to decide whether to change again or not. This was his third outfit choice.. Yuugi had told him to dress warmly and Atem wonders if this crew cut shirt is good enough. It’s on the thicker side, but isn’t as much as some of the sweaters he has. The turtleneck he’d gotten had felt too restrictive, and he didn’t want to change into it. Yuugi and Atem have plans to meet Anzu, Honda, and Jou for ice skating. Anzu’s come back to Domino to visit for the week, and they’re excited for the reunion. 

Atem has never been ice skating and is trying to downplay his insecurity when Yuugi returns from the shower, asking if he’s excited to go. “Yes. It sounds like fun. Though, I’m not sure I’ll be very...graceful…”

“It’s  _ okay _ , Anzu’s the one who’s any good at it. The best I can do is go around the rink.” Yuugi smiles. “I’ll hold onto you the whole time, if you want.”

Atem nods, Of course he’ll never protest to that! “I’m excited to try something new with you. It’ll be nice to see everyone again.” He hesitates, “Is this warm enough?”

Yuugi nods fervently. “The shirt’s good but you’ll definitely need a coat! And you’ll want gloves.”

Atem moves to grab the additional articles of clothing. Yuugi is still standing in the same spot, staring off into space. He gives Yuugi an amused look before approaching him from behind and murmuring in his ear. “You’re still in a towel, Aibou.” He hugs him from behind. Yuugi leans into the touch. “Something on your mind?”

“Nah...I-I was just thinking of what I’m gonna wear.” Yuugi replies.

“Don’t let me keep you.” Atem teases, kissing his cheek deeply. 

“Well now I’m tempted to.”

Atem chuckles and releases him. “ _ Hmm,  _ then we’d never leave.”

“You’re right.” Yuugi looks at him wistfully before finally breaking away.

He towel dries his hair once his boxers are on. He hesitates for a moment before sneezing a few times into the crook of his arm. Atem watches, eyebrows tenting in sympathy. 

“Bless you.” Atem says, “Are your allergies still bothering you?”

Yuugi shrugs, a tinge of blush crossing his face. “Thanks, and yeah apparently.” They’d spent the morning vacuuming and dusting—Atem insisting on doing the bulk of it after Yuugi woke up feeling congested. He’d hoped Yuugi would be feeling better by now, but it seemed the antihistamines hadn’t kicked in yet. At least he sounded less congested now after his shower, though. He hoped the residual ailing would be short-lived. Yuugi sighs as he reaches for a tissue. “It’ll be good to get out then.” 

Once they’re both dressed, they head out, carrying their outer layers. It’s on the cooler side, but it’s not nearly cold enough for the heavy coats, gloves, and scarves they’re bringing with them. The rink is only a quick ride away, and there’s a bus that makes a stop right in front of it. They climb into their seats and hold hands. They watch the scenery change. Most of the leaves have fallen on the ground, but there are still patches of colorful ones left on some of the trees.

***

It’s great seeing all of their friends again. Honda and Jou live locally, but it’s been months since they’ve seen Anzu. She slows down to fill them in on what’s been going on in her life. She’s still dancing and has moved into a studio apartment. Her old roommate had been difficult to live with, and she’s in good spirits to be able to live independently. She and Jou exchange a few anecdotes about moving, as they were able to move out at similar times. The atmosphere is light and fun, as they’d picked off right where they left off. It’s not long before they enter the ice rink. 

“Atem, this is your first time skating?” Anzu asks. When he nods, she adds that it’ll be easier for him to skate further from the wall as long as he’s holding onto someone. “I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.”

Atem offers a smile as he attempts to tie his skates, following what Yuugi is doing. It’s not much different from lacing up other shoes. Yuugi offers an arm for his partner to take, and Anzu supports his other one. 

The ice is fresh and clear, having just been recently cleaned and smoothed over by the zamboni. Honda and Jou skate ahead, attempting to race each other and somehow Honda crashes into a wall. Jou snickers and Honda comes after him, determined to make him fall as well. 

“So embarrassing.” Anzu sighs, though they’re all a bit refreshed by seeing that some things haven’t changed. As they skate, Atem watches what Yuugi and Anzu are doing with their skates.

“Yeah, you just push off like this.” Yuugi says. Atem can hear the smile in his voice. He follows the prompts, trying not to lose his balance and to follow along with what the others are doing. He nearly falls, but is quickly steadied by the duo. Atem carefully tries to copy what his friends are doing technique-wise as Yuugi and Anzu lead him further onto the ice. 

Atem is still wobbling slightly, putting a decent amount of his weight onto his boyfriend and friend. Yuugi gives him a reassuring squeeze that tells him he’s doing fine. They do a few laps, catching up, and Jou and Honda join them. Anzu asks Yuugi about how his work is going, and surprisingly, Yuugi’s responses are subdued. 

“When do you think it’ll be released?”

“Released?” There’s a pause. Atem looks at his partner quizzically. “ _ Ah, _ probably not until next year.”

He notices that Yuugi’s been quiet throughout the interaction. He seems off, in that he’d normally have much more to share about his projects. Atem wonders if he’s putting too much weight on his partner, or if he’s holding him back from having a more enjoyable time somehow. Maybe he should sit out and let his partner skate more freely. He wonders if he’s burdening the duo, but then he’s snapped out of it when Anzu addresses him.

“You’re a fast learner.” Anzu praises. She adds in a playful mumble, “But then we already knew that.” Yuugi makes an affirmative noise, gently squeezing his arm. Atem’s face heats at the compliment. 

He can see why people enjoy skating. Now he’s gliding more, and the three of them have picked up the pace. There are a few other groups around the rink. People holding hands in a long line, others just skating in a circle. And then there’s Jou and Honda who are roughhousing. 

Jou swears from behind them, and a thud follows. Apparently Honda had gotten his revenge. 

“Damnit, come back here!” Jou yells, attempting to get back up and falling again. A group of children giggle at him. 

Anzu sighs. She obscures her face with a disappointed hand. 

“I don’t want to slow you down, Anzu. Yuugi told me you’re almost as skilled at this as you are at dancing.”

Anzu blushes, shaking her head. “I’m not a professional or anything! I can just do a few jumps.”

“Show us a trick.” Jou urges from behind them, finally back on his feet. Anzu sighs again, carefully letting go of Atem. 

“I’ll try.” Once she’s sure he’s not going to fall, she skates out to the middle of the rink. She goes on to do a few jumps and other moves that look effortless but definitely took a lot of practice and skill to achieve. Jou and Honda cheer her on and she pretends to admonish them. Atem turns to his boyfriend who’s been suspiciously quieter than usual. Yuugi’s looking in the general direction of his friends, but seems to be off in his own world. 

Atem is about to ask if he’s enjoying himself, when he realizes why he’s been so quiet. Yuugi attempts to discreetly stifle some sneezes into his scarf, but Atem, being right next to him of course, notices. It’s easy for him to hear how his breath catches in his throat, and even the way his body moves from the sudden motion. Atem wishes he were more stable on the ice so that he could give his partner an affectionate touch, but he settles for squeezing his hand. From the way Yuugi’s body was jerking from the paroxysm, Atem wishes he could do something to steady his partner, but his partner is the one tasked with keeping them both steady. 

Yuugi is sniffling more and more frequently. Atem knows it’s cold and that his partner’s allergies were bothering him earlier, but still—it’s been at least an hour or two since he’s showered and taken allergy medicine. 

“ _ ngt’chh….mpt’kiuu...kTtch!” _

“Bless you.”

“Tha— _ hh’Ngtschh! hih’iTkshh!”  _

Atem frowns. At this point, his concern is becoming more founded. “Are you alright, Aibou?” Yuugi had almost lost his balance, but managed to keep himself and Atem on their feet. Jou attempts to do some of the same motions that Anzu is going only for him to fall again. Anzu helps him up,

‘Yeah” Yuugi sniffles, “It’s just from being cold I think.” But then even as he said it, his voice cracks, and Atem is beginning to suspect that what was bothering him earlier in the morning might not have been allergies. 

“And you were worried that  _ I’d  _ be cold.” Atem murmurs as he feels Yuugi is shivering. He gives Yuugi a once over. His teeth are chattering against his set jaw, and he's hastily pressing his scarf against his nose—which looks even more pink and irritated than it had earlier. He scolds himself for not noticing earlier as he was too busy concentrating on skating. Yuugi has them start skating again, moving closer to where their friends are.

“Are you sure you’re—” He stops himself when he sees Yuugi struggling against another sneeze. His nose wrinkles, as he tries squashing it against a fisted glove. “ _ h-hhuh...Hp’schh!” hih’Ktschh!”  _

Now they both lose their balance. The fall and subsequent hitting the ice is not as bad of a feeling as Atem thought it’d be, but it’s certainly not pleasant. Yuugi breaks out coughing upon making contact with the ice, the wind knocked out of him. The sound is rattly and harsh. He’d been coughing a bit earlier, but it was nothing that sounded like this. And then Atem’s suspicions are confirmed. 

“ _ Yuugi _ ...” Atem starts, obvious concern seeping into his tone. He tries to go over to his partner, but falls down again. He’s trying to figure out how the hell he’s supposed to get back up. It’d be more amusing if he weren’t worried about his partner.

“I’mb find.” Yuugi mumbles, setting a gloved hand on the ice to prop himself up. “Are  _ you _ okay?” He wobbles as he attempts to regain his balance, and Atem notices the three of their friends skate over. 

“I’m fine, but—”

“Are you guys okay?” Honda asks, cutting Atem off. It’s almost comical how many times that general concern had been voiced in the past few moments. He and Jou help Atem up while Anzu gives Yuugi a wary look as he finally gets up.

Atem nods, regaining his composure. “Thank you.” He decides to take the attention away from his partner sensing he’s more embarassed than he’s letting on. “I’m surprised to have fallen less than you two.” 

“That’s because Honda is an idiot!” 

“ _ Me?”  _

Atem tunes out their banter as he focuses his attention to his partner. Jou and Honda have linked their arms with Atem’s and they continue their discourse over his head. Yuugi stands next to Anzu. His cheeks are flushed, his violet eyes unfocused and red-rimmed. He hadn’t looked anywhere near this exhausted when they’d initially left the apartment. Finally Yuugi meets his eyes.

_ Ah, so he wants to tough it out to be with his friends,  _ Atem thinks upon seeing Yuugi’s smile. 

_ I’m having a good time. _

Atem gives Yuugi a knowing look.  _ We should go home. _

Yuugi shakes his head slightly, smiling.  _ I’m okay, really.  _

Atem raises an eyebrow, eyes boring into his. If the roles were reversed, Yuugi would absolutely be dragging Atem away. The only problem is that Atem can barely skate by himself. And Yuugi knows it. 

“Do you guys want to get hot cocoa?” Anzu asks, interrupting both the verbal and nonverbal conversation happening within the group. The general answer is yes and they begin to leave the rink. Atem wonders if it’s a coincidence that she’s suggested they leave, or if she’s also noticed Yuugi isn’t feeling well. Either way, he’s glad his partner won’t be in the cold any more at the very least.

Now that their skates are off, Atem is quick to wrap an arm around Yuugi’s back, drawing him in closer to his side, hoping to provide him with any sense of warmth and comfort. He mentally scolds himself for not even considering the idea that his boyfriend was coming down with something before they went out into the cold. He’s so caught up in his thoughts, that he’s not paying much attention to the story Honda is telling. Yuugi is still smiling, but it’s not quite meeting his eyes anymore. Anzu treats them, despite the protests from the group. 

Yuugi usually has more to say than Atem, but he’s gone close to silent, looking more weary by the minute. Atem notices that he’s still shivering despite leaving his outer layer on. Jou directs a question at Yuugi and a few beats go by before he gives an answer that doesn’t quite fit. 

“You okay?” Jou asks, there’s genuine concern in his voice.

Yuugi nods. “Yeah! I just spaced out for a second, I’m sorry.” His voice is thin and a little too energetic, and Atem is pretty sure nobody believes him. 

Yuugi muffles a few coughs into his sleeve. After a few moments, he excuses himself to use the bathroom and Atem watches him leave. His instinct is to follow him, but he doesn’t want to embarrass him if he wants to be alone. And then he realizes all of their friends are also watching Yuugi leave. 

“Excuse me…” Atem rises to go follow him, not bothering to explain since evidently they’re all on the same page anyway. Besides, he can’t sit here knowing his partner is suffering. 

Atem walks in towards the men’s room and sees his partner doubled over the sink. He’s coughing uncontrollably into his sleeve, shaking like a leaf in the wind. 

“Let’s go home, Aibou.” Atem says, gently rubbing his partner’s back. 

Yuugi sniffles, trying to regain control of his body. His voice is weak, and he looks like he’s on the verge of tears. “Ugh, gods...sorry—” 

Atem immediately draws him into a hug, running a hand through the back of Yuugi’s hair. He couldn’t care less if someone were to enter. “You have nothing to apologize for.” He holds him tightly, not caring that he’s started coughing again. He has no doubt that his partner has a fever now as his hand makes contact with his warm skin. He cups Yuugi’s flushed cheek and Yuugi shivers at the touch. “You have a fever.” 

His partner doesn’t meet his eyes. Atem is close to just scooping him up in his arms and leaving with him. But that would cause quite the spectacle—not that he cares, but he’s sure Yuugi wouldn’t appreciate that. 

Yuugi suddenly pulls away to sneeze into the crook of his arm. “ _ hMPtchh! Ktschhhiu! Itkschh!”  _

“Bless you.” Atem steadies him, placing his hands on his partner’s hips. Yuugi hurriedly puts his wrist against the underside of his nose as it’s beginning to run again. Atem pulls a few of the sandpaper paper towels offered by the men’s room—as the only other option is the one-ply toilet paper—and hands them to Yuugi. Yuugi hesitantly blows his nose, avoiding eye contact. 

“You’ll feel much better when we return home.” Atem promises him, rubbing his back. He takes the used paper towels from his partner and tosses them in the trash. 

“You didd’t have’t—”

Atem shushes him. “It’s fine.” 

“I’mb sorry—I didn’t realize that I was gettig—” 

Atem kisses his cheek. “I’m sorry you’re feeling so ill. Let’s go home. Our friends will understand.”

Yuugi’s flushed face somehow reddens more. Atem pockets a few more paper towels before they leave. Atem keeps his arm wrapped around Yuugi’s back. All three of their friends rise when they return to the table. Atem doesn’t even need to tell them that they’re leaving. Anzu gives them both a hug, telling Yuugi to feel better. Atem can tell without even looking at his partner that he’s mortified as he thanks her. Jou and Honda both offer rides home, but Yuugi politely refuses. 

They walk together and wait at the bus stop. Atem holds his coat with his spare hand. Atem’s heart aches for his partner who looks even more miserable and embarrassed than before. Fortunately, there aren’t many people around to gawk at them. Atem draws Yuugi in closer to his side and gives him a loving look. 

Once the bus comes, they board and sit towards the back, away from other passengers. Atem guides Yuugi to lean comfortably against him. He looks like he’s worlds away. He’d gone from being mildly uncomfortable this morning to absolutely exhausted and clearly ill. Surely exerting himself in the cold hadn’t done him any favors. Atem cups his cheek protectively. He traces over his partner’s forehead and down to his cheek in what he hopes is a comforting motion. Atem wishes he’d intervened earlier. 

Yuugi’s breathing changes, breath hitching. He rubs at his nose, trying to rid himself of the tickle in his nose. Atem pulls out the paper towels and cups them over his partner’s face as he sees he’s losing the battle. “ _ Huh’ngt...uh….hh’mbpt...huh..”  _ He stifles his sneezes. Atem presses a kiss onto the crown of Yuugi’s head as Yuugi apologetically takes the paper towels from his hands.

“That sounded like it hurt.” Atem murmurs. 

“Ndo, I’mb okay.” He says, rubbing his nose with the wad. They’re not too far from home now, and Atem is grateful for that fact. All he wants is to take care of his poor partner. 

When they arrive at their stop, Atem supports most of Yuugi’s weight—the roles reversing from when they were on the ice—and guides him through the doorway and onto the couch. He drapes the throw blanket around his shoulders and holds his shivering body close to his. “Let me take care of you, Aibou.”


End file.
